Son of Bull Point ready to make charge in Country Championship betting

Racing returns for Goulburn on Tuesday, with an eight-race card.

A progressive four-year-old rated one of the real long-shots in early Country Championship Final betting is out to make an overdue statement at Monday’s feature Muswellbrook meeting.

Sharp Shock, a still improving son of Bull Point in the Rod Northam yard at Scone, is a $61 shot across All-In betting just under seven weeks from the $1 million Country Championship Final at Randwick on April 6.

And as the first of the official qualifiers began this weekend, long-priced punters will be quietly watching the progress of Sharp Shock like glue.

He tackles a very winnable Benchmark 66 Handicap over 1280m to close the Muswellbrook card, likely to be run on a good 4 or soft 5 surface with some showers predicted.

Already with three wins and three placings from 13 career starts, Sharp Shock ends a run of four gallant outings in Class 3 Saturday Highway company since the stand-alone meeting at Newcastle last November when he roared home from well back to miss by a nose.

Three weeks later he charged home again to finish a half-length from smart winner Mosgold before being pushed out to the mile two days before Xmas, and making up late ground behind Magic Pharaoh.

Given a six week let-up over the New Year period, Sharp Shock returned for another Highway at Randwick nine days ago running home hard from near last to finish just over two lengths from impressive winner Atmospheric Rock.

Given all that, he looks ripe to beat a country BM 66 field, despite jumping up sharply to 60kg.The gelding is sure to be well tested by rival Scone four-year-old Bonjour Rupert, who is second-up for the Brett Cavanough stable after a tough finishing effort in Highway company behind Blow Dart 23 days ago.

Throw in provincial-based Never Sorry third-up, and promising unbeaten filly Rockbarton Fashion, and this promises to be a strong form race heading towards autumn.

Scone stables must be confident they can top-and-tail the meeting.

The Messara-Gavranich yard saddles up promising two-year-old colt Dale as a likely clear favourite in the opening Maiden Plate over 1280m, 19 days after failing on debut against metropolitan opposition.